Transcript: How to Sharpen Your Approach as a Leader // Steve Moore, Murdock Trust

The Flourishing Culture Podcast Series

“How to Sharpen Your Approach as a Leader“

May 4, 2020

Steve Moore

Intro: Learn how to sharpen your approach as a leader and as an organization in the times that we're living in right now. If that's your hope and desire, then you don't want to miss what's ahead for you, next.

Al Lopus: Welcome to another episode of the Flourishing Culture Podcast, where our goal is to equip and inspire you to build a flourishing workplace. As we all face today's leadership challenges as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, we believe having a healthy culture is more important now than ever before. We are here to help you eliminate toxicity, improve your employees’ engagement, speed up new innovation, and grow your organization's impact.

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And now, let's meet today's special guest.

It's a real pleasure to welcome Steve Moore, the executive director of the M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust in Vancouver, Washington. Thanks for joining us, Steve.

Steve Moore: It's a pleasure to get to be with you.

Al: Thanks. Well, I'm really looking forward to our conversation because of the kind of community that Murdock continues to create with organizations, and that really speaks to the historic times that we're living through right now.

Before we get to that, let's start with a little bit of background. Many leaders and organizations in the Pacific Northwest are familiar with the Murdock Trust. And for decades, the Murdock name has been synonymous with helping community-focused organizations with their development through grants and enrichment programs and other resources. Tell us a little bit about your background, Steve. You already had a distinguished career in higher ed before joining the Murdock Charitable Trust. How did that transition happen, and what drew you to serve at Murdock?

Steve: Thanks for asking that, Al. That's a great question because I’d never planned to be working at the Murdock Trust, much less to be working in philanthropy or in this sector at all. I had become acquainted with the Murdock Trust during my time at Seattle Pacific University and had continued in relationship with the Trust in a variety of advisory capacities over the years. And really, when they asked me to come back, I probably naively said, “No, thank you. Not part of my plan,” and then, really, was encouraged to think about it in a different way. Then, I realized it really was different streams of my life coming together in some ways as one in the work of the Murdock Trust. And so that's what caused us to really pause and to reflect and eventually to say yes.

Al: Yeah. Don't you love it when you have different streams that are coming together, and for a time such as this, how one's background just leads to a perfect fit? Yeah, that's great.

Well, as executive director, you've had an opportunity to see the inside of many organizations, and you have a unique view and able to get a snapshot of so many different organizations. Well, how about a favorite story of how you help nonprofits so that lives are changed or how communities thrive or even to help the entire region prosper? I know you're focused on the Pacific Northwest. How about a story?

Steve: Yeah. That's always a hard one when people ask for a favorite story or a favorite grant or a favorite organization because the Murdock Trust works in four different sectors: arts and culture, health and human services, education, and the area of scientific research and education. And so because we work in sort of—it's sort of like living out a liberal-arts experience every day, we're working in so many different sectors. And I think that what many people don't realize is that when you've seen one foundation, you've seen one foundation. All foundations are different in what they emphasize. We really seek to build the capacity of groups, nonprofits, leaders, so that they can fulfill their mission. In a sense, we want to see organizations able to expand and able to better fulfill their mission through the partnerships that we may have. So that's really the focus of our work. And we just are incredibly blessed, and it brings us great joy to partner with just great organizations all across the region and a few around the country as they [unclear 05:24] to impact people's lives.

Al: Maybe it's kind of like asking a parent if they have a favorite child. And the answer is no, I love them all.

Steve: Yeah. That’s a great way to put it.

Al: But, yeah. To build the capacity of groups and leaders to better fulfill their mission, that’s great.

Well, I really love, when I look at your website, I see the sentence, “We build relationships for the common good,” instead of a phrase like, well, funding important projects. So the foundation focuses on building relationships, which I really love. And as a Young Life, old Young Life volunteer leader, it's all about building relationships as a common thread. But yeah, building relationships for the common good is what I really like about what I see. What's the thinking behind this conviction, Steve?

Steve: Yeah, great question. And it really reflects a number of things. One, it reflects our donor, Jack Murdock, who was a co-founder of Tektronix, a very early technology innovating company. And he really believed in people and in relationships, and he believed in excellence and that really it was weaving the fabric of relationships and partnerships was really what made communities stronger. And so it reflects that. It reflects the commitment of our current trustees and our staff, who really understand how critical the work of people, that the best work always flows through people doing work. And so just the importance of that. And then, also, just the critical nature that all good organizations, their greatest resource is their people, and so understanding that as well.

Al: Wow, yeah. The greatest asset of any organization is its people. There's no question. It is through people. And I know Tektronix is well known in its early years for its innovation and in engineering. And it's people that come up with those things.

You know, Steve, now we're in the middle of this COVID-19 virus, and that's really had a huge impact. And I've been interviewing Christian leaders through this time, but it's had a huge impact on Christian nonprofits in the Northwest. What are you noticing and hearing from leaders in this unprecedented time?

Steve: Yeah, it's a great question. I think we're all trying to figure out how to navigate this time we’re in. As you know, Al, Murdock does not exclusively work with Christian groups. We work with both faith-based and non-faith-based groups. I find that leaders of all kinds are asking the same kinds of questions. I think after we get through the initial shock of what is happening, I think the question that many people are asking is, how will this change the way we are present in the world, the way our mission gets expressed in what we do? And so I think that's the big question. I know that you kind of as a leader have to simultaneously think about, how do I respond to the crisis, and begin to plan for how do we begin to plan for coming out of this crisis? And then the third stream of planning you have to do is, what is the way that we may need to change and think about our mission being expressed in our programs and activities in a different way because of what we've come through? So I think all three streams have to be given attention at the current time, and I think that's what leaders are trying to figure out how to navigate.

Al: Yeah. I love that, Steve. How do we respond? How do we plan to come out of it? How do we change? I've heard the word pivot quite a bit as we've really addressed this COVID-19. You make a good point that you just don't work with Christian nonprofits. I'm wondering, with the organizations you're serving, do you see any difference with the COVID-19 crisis and how it impacts other nonprofits versus Christian nonprofits? Has there been much difference, or is it pretty much the same across the board?

Steve: Yeah. I think in many ways there’s some similarity. I think that in some ways it's the incredible opportunity that faith-based groups have to say, “We will give of ourselves to our communities and not simply be self-protective.” It's very tempting to retreat. And when you're told to shelter at home, just to shelter and to say maybe we can endure this. But I think as Christians, we're actually called to lean in. In the first centuries of the church, Christians were known for rushing in. Whenever those other citizens were rushing out of the city because of the plague or other things, Christians were rushing in and saying, “How might we serve? How might we step up? How might we help our communities? How might we bring hope and life and fruitfulness in the times that we live in?” And so I think that's an opportunity for that for Christian organizations.

Al: Yeah. Boy, that's great. How do we bring hope and fruitfulness and not just be self-protective? And boy, it's real easy to get into that mode. But yeah, you've caused me to think about—I remember reading Augustine's Confessions, and one of the great saints of the church, and I believe he actually passed away because he was serving sick people in a previous pandemic around that time.

Steve: Yeah. And if you want a great book recommendation, I would highly recommend James K. A. Smith, Jamie Smith's book on Augustine. And it’s just come out in the last year or two. It's fantastic. And it's basically a—it's Augustine as a companion for the times that we live in and kind of as a spiritual companion. It's just terrific. I’d highly recommend that.

Al: Wow. Good idea.

So, the Trust has also put plans in place to quickly help leaders navigate the implications of the pandemic, and we've even experienced that at the Best Christian Workplaces. Tell us about your initiatives, Steve. How has the Trust really, even in the short period of time since the beginning of this begun, to put plans in place and to create initiatives to help nonprofits?

Steve: Yeah. It's something that we have been given a lot of thought to. We actually, two or three years ago, began to plan for any kind of potential crisis, an earthquake or whatever might be coming. And so we asked ourselves, what would we need to do? And of course, about 90 percent of what we thought was wrong, but there was about 10 percent that was right. And we began to really say, what would it mean for us to live our mission out, given the crisis we're in and what we know right now? And so we knew that we would be making some grants to organizations that would be serving the most-basic human needs: healthcare organizations; scientific research and testing; development tests for the virus; food banks; outstanding groups like Catholic Charities, Salvation Army, St. Vincent de Paul; groups that are on the front lines, serving the most vulnerable.

We knew we would do that, but we also said what would be other expressions of what we need to do? And so we've held a number of online and Zoom convenings, and we hosted a webinar with one of our faculty members, Brad Layland, on how do you do fundraising in the midst of a pandemic? How do you stay in touch with your constituency in the midst of a pandemic? And then we recruited a group of organizational coaches, people that are great at coaching organizations, and said, “Would you be willing to come alongside some organizations throughout the region and maybe just provide them with some coaching on how to navigate the crisis as an organizational leader?” So those are just a few of the things that we kind of came up with, partly through conversation with partners throughout the region and partly our team just really knowing and understanding and interacting with our constituency. So that's a few of those things.

Al: Yeah. And that’s impressive that you even started the planning two or three years ago, and that way, you're able to respond quickly. And that's fantastic, Steve. Congratulations. That’s thrilling.

You know, if ever there was a time when organizations needed to be nimble and responsive to those they serve, it's certainly now. Are there any lessons or aha’s the Trust has experienced that you can share with us about some of the outcomes?

Steve: I appreciate your congratulations, Al. I would just want to quickly say, as I said earlier, about 90 percent of what we planned was wrong. So we don't want to sound like we've kind of had it all together. We are like everyone else in that we were stumbling forward, or trying to stumble forward. We were as stunned and shocked and surprised and caught off guard. But I think that part of what we've learned and we have continued to encourage others is let's learn together, let's be quick to share, let's figure out how to navigate this, and let’s stumble forward. We have a reason for the hope that's within us. And we are living in the very season, Easter season, when practicing resurrection is an important part of what we're about. So let's practice it. And if you look at the Resurrection story, every person that encountered the risen Christ was both afraid and excited. And so I think that's probably how we all feel. We're partly afraid, and we partly understand deep down that this is an opportune moment.

Al: I trust you’re enjoying our podcast today. We’ll be right back after an important word for leaders.

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Al: And now, back to today’s special guest.

Yeah. A couple of weeks ago, Dr. Rob McKenna was on our podcast, talking about leading under pressure, and he reminded us that God has given us all a purpose and a mission in our organizations, and that really hasn't changed because of what we're experiencing. And it's important to remember that as we go forward. Yeah, we may be afraid, a little fearful, but yet we should be excited about what will come out of it. All things work together for good.

Steve: Yeah. I think never has the opportunity to lean into teams been more present. I would say never has the importance of pacing ourselves been more important. The temptation is to try to do everything and do it right now, but this is a marathon, not a sprint. And I think it really forces us all to be saying with humility, we're all learners. We're all in need of learning right now. So let's learn from one another, and let's figure out how to get the best lessons that are learned out there and shared with one another.

Al: Well, I love that, yeah. Lean into our teams. I've heard over and over again on this podcast and other places where people are—they realize how important it is to have effective teams and to be glad that they've got a healthy culture amongst their team to be able to move forward quickly. But yet pace ourselves. I see a lot of leaders who are just running themselves ragged. That's great advice. And yeah, let's help each other.

So I have to admit that the onslaught of this coronavirus has really stretched me in new ways. I'm curious, Steve. What's one thing that you've been thinking and learning about through this time, not only as a leader, as a Christian, as a husband, a father, a friend? What can you share with us about what you've learned?

Steve: There's been a lot. I won't try to go through everything, but I'll mention maybe two or three. I think one that's an important one is that in the West, we have a lot of first-world problems that the rest of the world faces and has to address all the time. So it should be driving us to our very knees to recognize and understand that we need to be in solidarity with Christians around the world who suffer under things like pandemics and incredible, difficult circumstances all the time. And we need to be aware of that.

Second thing I would say is that as a leader, probably my tendency and most leaders’ tendency is to want to control things. And the reality is we cannot control. Any myth that we have about control is just that: it's a myth. And so we need to understand that. And it's one thing to try to guide; it's another thing to believe somehow we're in control.

I think the third thing would be, as is often said in the New Testament, that it's in the challenging times where character is built. So I think we have to really respond in in terms of allowing the formation of our character and our hearts and our minds.

Al: Yeah. I like that. It's in challenging times where character’s built. Also, it’s in challenging times like this where our leadership is developed as well. So, I oftentimes will reflect that, okay, this is really a time to see how effective my leadership is and those that are working around me. I love that. Yeah. It's first-world problems and kind of what you were saying earlier that we need to not just be self-focused, but really in solidarity with the poor around the world. Just be grateful for actually where we are, in many cases in comparison, yeah.

Each December, I know that Murdock and the Trust, they lead a conference for ministry leaders. And I can tell that leadership is very close to your heart, Steve, especially the impact leaders have on creating flourishing organizations, much like you've stated earlier. Share with us a little bit of your vision of what a flourishing organization looks like, and what have you seen?

Steve: Yeah, that's a great question. It's one that has a lot of layers to it. I mentioned earlier the streams of my life, and certainly leadership and spiritual formation has been one of those streams. And I think that in our leadership gatherings, the one you mentioned that’s in the end of the year, but also other convenings that we do, we recognize that it's both an opportunity to step away from the day to day, to be challenged, to be encouraged, and to be connected with one another and realize that we are part of something bigger than ourselves.

I think the other thing that I would say about leaders and flourishing organizations is the importance in nurture of the leaders themselves in order for organizations to flourish. So I think not so much the nurture of one individual. Oftentimes, presidents and CEOs and executive directors get taken care of fairly well. It's a difficult role and a challenging one. But the reality is all the leaders of the organization and all the members of the organization should be encouraged and brought along in order for the organization to flourish. And that's a constant challenge, and it's hard work, but it's important if we want organizations that flourish and organizations that help their communities and their constituencies to flourish.

Al: Yeah. I've heard other people say all you can bring to leadership is yourself. And if you aren't in a good position where you're flourishing, then it's hard to create an organization that's flourishing. That's great advice. As you say, it's the importance to nurture the leaders, not only the top leaders, but leaders throughout the organization. That’s fantastic.

You study Christian ministries deeply as the organization funds those organizations. As you've seen a whole number of not only Christian organizations, but other nonprofits, what are some of the organizational needs leaders can't ignore when it comes to their organizations?

Steve: Yeah. That is a very important question. And I would say that there are some almost out of the direct line of sight that some things that groups need to pay attention to. I think that every organization now is a startup organization, and every leader is an entrepreneur. So you need to understand that it's not a matter that the world is going to go back to the way it was. It's not. It's going to be a different world going forward. And so every organization is a startup organization, and everyone is an entrepreneur. So you need go to groups like Praxis, faith-inspired investing, and groups that are working on the principles of entrepreneurship, the principles of startups, and what are key things that our organizations need to understand.

The second is never has it been more important to have strong, vital, and effective boards. And we have witnessed a number of organization over the years where boards blunder, and they make bad mistakes because they're not paying attention. If things go well, they just are very honored to be on the board, and they're not paying attention, and they fall asleep at the wheel, and then a train wreck occurs. And so building strong boards is something that is critical at all times, and that the leadership of the organization and the board leadership have to work together to help both sides of that equation. People can't ignore that.

And you simply cannot ignore spiritual, organizational leadership development and formation. These times or any time. And, you know, it's just so critical. So groups like Leadership Catalyst; the work and writing of Bruce McNicol, Bill Thrall; the works of Jamie Smith; the work of Richard Foster; the work of so many people that have done work in spiritual formation and thinking; the work of Andy Crouch; cannot begin to understate how important it is to be thinking and working on those kinds of things.

Al: That’s really insightful that, again, considering this time, I'm not sure everybody really thinks about that they should be thinking about their organization as a startup organization or that they are entrepreneurs. That's really insightful.

You know, I love strong boards. And how many times have we seen boards blunder? And it becomes a huge issue, perhaps with the CEO or who knows? But many things. And I love, again, in Christian organizations, the spiritual organizational formation. Those are three great insights, Steve.

You know, I've really enjoyed everything we've learned, and this has really gone fast. I appreciate it. And I love your background and how you described you've got different streams that are coming together for this work, and the desire to build the capacity of groups and leaders to better fulfil their mission is such a great place to start. I love the way you've described how we all have dealt with this COVID-19 crisis, the shock. But the question of, well, how is it that we will change our mission, and how will it be expressed in the work that we do? Those are questions that we should all be asking ourselves, for sure. But just great, the focus on leaning into our teams and pacing ourselves as individuals. This is a marathon, not a sprint. And for all of us to, even in this time, to be learners, and that we really should be paying attention in this time, thinking of ourselves as startup organizations and entrepreneurs, building strong boards, and not overlooking our own spiritual and organizational formation. So, Steve, this has been great.

How about one final thought that you'd like to leave with our listeners? Anything come to mind?

Steve: I think the thing that comes to my mind is there's never been a time or a place in the world in human history when there is not a great need for hope, for faith, for transformation, for service, for encouragement, for forgiveness, for such a time as this. This is the story of God in our world and humankind, and it's the story of Easter. And we are invited to be the ambassadors of Christ in the world in which we live, wherever we find ourselves, for such a time as this.

Al: Ambassadors, I love it. Faith, hope, and love, and the greatest of these is love.

Well, Steve Moore, executive director of the M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust, thank you so much for sharing your wisdom, insights, and stories, and even for inspiring us with faith, hope, and love. And thank you for investing yourself in everyone who's been listening and benefiting from all you've shared with us today. Thanks, Steve.

Steve: Thanks for letting me be a part for all you all are doing, Al. Great to be with you.

Outro: Thank you for joining us on the Flourishing Culture Podcast and for investing this time in your workplace culture. If there's a specific insight, story, or action step you've enjoyed, please share it with others so they can benefit, too. Please share this podcast with friends on social media, and show your support by rating, reviewing, and subscribing wherever you listen.

This program is copyrighted by the Best Christian Workplaces Institute. All rights reserved. Our writer is Mark Cutshall. Our social-media and marketing manager is Solape Osoba. Remember, a healthy workplace culture drives greater impact and growth for your organization. We'll see you again soon on the Flourishing Culture Podcast.